Kīlauea is the youngest and southeastern most volcano on
the Island of Hawai‘i. Topographically Kīlauea appears
as only a bulge on the southeastern flank of Mauna Loa,
and so for many years Kīlauea was thought to be a mere
satellite of its giant neighbor, not a separate volcano.
However, research over the past few decades shows clearly
that Kīlauea has its own magma-plumbing system, extending
to the surface from more than 60 km deep in the earth.

In fact, the summit of Kīlauea lies on a curving line
of volcanoes that includes Mauna Kea and Kohala and excludes
Mauna Loa. In other words, Kīlauea is to Mauna Kea as Lō‘ihi
is to Mauna Loa. Hawaiians used the word Kīlauea only for the
summit caldera, but earth scientists and, over time, popular
usage have extended the name to include the entire volcano.

Kīlauea is the home of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano
goddess. Hawaiian chants and oral traditions tell in
veiled form of many eruptions fomented by an angry Pele
before the first European, the missionary Rev. William
Ellis, saw the summit in 1823. The caldera was the site
of nearly continuous activity during the 19th century
and the early part of this century. Since 1952 there
have been 34 eruptions, and since January 1983 eruptive
activity has been continuous along the East Rift Zone. In March 2008, a vent also opened in Halema‘uma‘u Crater at the volcano's summit. The summit crater hosts an active lava pond and a vigorous gas plume.
Kīlauea ranks among the world's most active
volcanoes and may even top the list.